The present invention relates to a a method of feeding substantially rectangular laundry articles to a laundry processing apparatus, such as an ironing roller, comprising spreading of the laundry article, as well as an apparatus for performing the method.
These apparatuses are primarily used in big laundries in which they are used for smoothing and spreading large laundry articles, such as sheets, table-cloths, slips for eiderdowns, etc. for subsequent insertion of the laundry article into e.g. an ironing roller, it being important that these feeding devices spread and smooth the laundry articles effectively so that undesired creases will not occur after the ironing roller. Most frequently, the laundry articles are inserted into the apparatus by a laundry article being taken from a pile of laundry articles in a wrinkled state and optionally wet or damp, following which the laundry article is inserted into the machine, which subsequently processes the laundry article so that it can be transferred to e.g. an ironing roller in a spread and smoothened state.
Numerous proposals for the construction of devices capable of performing the above-mentioned processes are known today. For example, U.S. patent specification 2 635 370 discloses an apparatus for smoothing and spreading large laundry articles, comprising two mutually engaged, narrow conveyor belts between which the laundry article may be inserted and hang down on each side of the lower conveyor belt, following which e.g. air jets may be applied to the surfaces of the article so that the article will flap and be smoothened while hanging in the apparatus. However, the apparatus cannot serve as a feeder, since the large laundry article has then to be manually removed from the apparatus and transferred to optionally an ironing roller. This means that the apparatus cannot at all meet the efficiency requirements made with respect to modern industrial laundries.
EP patent application 424 290 discloses a feeder proper, which comprises i.a. a short and very wide belt conveyor, across which the large laundry article is pulled into position on the belt conveyor from one end thereof, in that approximately the centre of an edge of the laundry article is inserted into grippers adapted for the purpose, said grippers pulling the laundry article into position across the belt conveyor. The laundry article will hereby typically be inclined across the belt conveyor, for which reason means are provided for aligning the laundry article so that two opposed edges on the laundry article are perpendicular to the travelling direction of the belt conveyor. In this situation, the laundry article hangs in a spread and smoothened state across the belt conveyor, there being provided a bar capable of transferring the laundry article from the belt conveyor to an optional, subsequent laundry processing apparatus, such as an ironing roller. However, this requires the laundry article to be positioned correctly before the transfer, which is ensured in that the belt conveyor advances the laundry article a certain distance. Thus, all the above-mentioned processes take place while the laundry article hangs across the belt conveyor, which means that a new laundry article cannot be inserted into the apparatus before the said processes have been completed, and accordingly there is a certain idle time for the operator before a new laundry article can be inserted into the machine.
The object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus which significantly reduce the operator's idle time and thereby enables a higher productivity per operator.